The other Trouble With Nigeria - WHO ARE YOUR TECHNICAL PARTNERS?

NTA anchor Obiayo had asked, "What is the guarantee of the quality of the project executed by OilServe?" # I doubt if I have met Mr (Engr?) Emeka Okwuosa. Nigeria is a big country. I have however interacted with a good many of his peers, on the client side and his competitors on the contractor side. Most Nigerians, especially in the media, refrain from educating themselves on what activities, Engineering, Planning, Procurement and Construction (EPC) that are involved in delivering most major projects. Or more importantly delivery of products and/or service to the people. Because several Nigerian administrations had chosen to address the matter of Local Content (I call it Participation) more in the breach, the public does not get to know the limited but steadily growing progress that our indigenous professionals have made these past four decades even WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND THEIR BACKS. # That question by Obiayo would have been appropriate if it came from a fellow professional in that sector, who in such an interview would be able to make sense of Engr Okwuosa's answer and have relevant follow-up questions to hold the attention of an ignorant public. That was a huge insult. # Unfortunately, in my own professional practice, I have encountered several variations of that theme, from decision makers in government Parastatals and major oil companies. After all the handholding that I provided to operators at Shell, they still routinely found it natural to revert to The Hague for solutions that we have hitherto provided them in Lagos and Port Harcourt. Most infuriating was having to go to Bonny Pump Station to troubleshoot a problem (mis)handled by "experts" from say HOLEC. And they won't even pay me even a fraction of what they readily shovel into overseas coffers. I have often been asked, "Who are your technical partners?" As if the person asking has any clue whether or not I needed one, or had the capacity to grade any partner that I may have mentioned. Let me make this clear. Engr Emeka Okwuosa and OilServ represent a growing crop of confident Nigerians, unfortunately mainly from the southern parts, who have committed themselves to the petroleum and related industries. Their aim, ahead of wishy-washy government stated intentions, is to domesticate it. They have jumped into the deep end and are giving the foreign competition a run for their money. It is sad but true that the deteriorating security situation had given a filip to the reluctant trend to go local. Please note also that not all the founders and prime movers have an engineering background. Some came from other professions but had the clear understanding of the composition required for these kinds of projects. May I now take this opportunity to salute people like Austin Avuru of Seplat,

Alfred Okoigun of ARCO, Ernest Azudialu of Nestoil Limited, Prof David Aderibigbe of i3M Power Systems Limited, Chris Baywood Ibe of Baywood Continental Limited, and many many others. People who have never seen a sliderule in their lives OR do not know that Nelson & Parker is a physics text book, will keep doubting your competences to our deep chagrin. I wish that the know-nothing decision makers in government and those in the media who boost their egos will wear a cloak of deep humility when talking to people such as these.